Translucent projection screen



B. M. BODDE TRANSLUCENT PROJECTION SCREEN Oct. 11

Original Filed uomgz, 1935 Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,133,076 TRANSLUCENT raomo'rron scans Bernard M. Bodae, Hollywood, Calif.

Original application November 22, 1935, Serial No. 51,129. Divided and this application June 15, 1936, Serial No. 85,275

Y 7 Claims.

This invention relates to picture projection" screens and particularly to the translucent type of screens in which pictures projected on one side of the screen may be viewed or photographed on the opposite side.

This is a divisional application of application Serial No. 51,129,'filed November 22, 1935, for Manufacture of truslucent screens, which application discloses and claims the method of mak-- ing screensas disclosed herein.

One of the difficulties encountered in the projection of pictures upon a screen is that the picture has a much higher value of light intensity at,

its center than at the edges, that is, the light source forms a. comparatively bright spot at the I upon a reflection type screen may show a very marked apparent hot spot.

Whether a translucent picture screen is to be employed for the photographing of composite pictures or for the projection of pictures to be viewed by an audience, it is desirable that the screen transmit as large an amount of light as possible while still retaining its translucency,

One object of the present invention is to obtain good tone qualities and a high degree of intensity of a picture transmitted by a translucent screen.

This is accomplished by employing a screen having a transparent base in sheet form with an array of minute light retracting particles pro-.

vided uponthe surface of the base. These refracting particles are of a transparent crystalline material. of high light refractive qualities. I employ for this purpose finely ground or fractured creases the detail or tonal qualities of a prolight retracting particles to the transparent base of the screen that there are a larger number per unit of area in portions of the screen where the intensity of the light projected thereon is high.-

Thus the more intense portions of the light beam will be refracted a greater number of times than the less intense .portions resulting in a transmitted light whose intensity is substantially constant over its entire cross sectional area.

As disclosed and claimed in said other divisional application, I reduce the possibility of water vapor, dirt, etc., getting into the transparent base in the course of spraying the same.

This is accomplished by arranging the matrix on which the base is sprayed in a substantially horizontal .position, the transparent cellulose material being sprayed thereon from underneath. Any dirt or water vapor from the spray equipment or elsewhere will tend to settle downward away from the surface of the sprayed cellulose. Furthermore, positioning the matrix so as to allow the transparent material to be sprayed on the bottom side thereof allows sheets of any size tobe produced without the necessity of overhead scaffolding and ladders from which dirt might fall onto the screen if it were sprayed on the top of the matrix.

f Also, as disclosed and claimed in said divisional application, I insure-correct distribution of the light refracting particles over the base of a translucent screen to compensate for the variations in intensity throughout the cross sectional area of a y light beam projected on the screen.

This is accomplished by projecting upon the base of the screen during the operation of applying upon it the light refracting particles, a beam of light whose intensity varies throughout its cross sectional area. The density of distribution of the light refracting particles is then varied across the surface of the screen inaccordance with the intensity of the light beam projected upon the screen so as to render a transmitted light of equal intensity throughout the area of the screen.

As disclosed and claimed in said divisional application, I prepare a spraying material for forming a translucent screen by grinding quartz into small particles, mixing these particles with a cellulose material dissolved in a thinner to render it in liquid form, and again grinding this mixture until the quartz is of extremely small size, 1. e. preferably of 2000 to 3000 mesh. The resulting material may again be mixed with a cellulose material in liquid form and sprayed upon a transparent base to form a translucent screen.

A further object of the invention is to prevent back glare or reflection of light from thesurface of a translucent screen base opposite the surface .which is treated with light refracting material to render the base translucent.

This is accomplished by providing a screen having on the untreated surface of the translucent screen base thereof, a coating of stearate compound, such as zinc stearate.

For further details of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the method of making a transparent base for a translucent screen.

necessary to provide a considerable amount of tension between the edges of the screen and a frame therefor in order to maintain the screen in a. taut position. I provide a screen sufficiently strong enough to withstand this tension, without employing the use of such strengthening agents as wires or webbing in the body of the screen, by using a transparent base of cellulose material of a thickness to give sufficient strength and by providing on one surface (or both surfaces) a thin layer of translucent material. I thus gain the necessary strength of the screen without any substantial reduction offtransmitted light, caused by strengthening wires, webbing or screens here'- tofore usually provided in the body of the screen. Furthermore, I obtain the desired translucency of the screen substantially independently of the consideration of strength of the screen;

The matrix I (Figs. 1 and 2) is formedof a fabric 2 having a base 3 thereon to present a. smooth surface on the lower-face thereof. Base 3 is formed of a"'suitable material such as an amber composition which is not compatible with the liquid employedin making the transparent base for the screen. The matrix I is secured to the bottom of a suitable frame 4 which is suspended as by wires 5 from the ceiling 6 of the spraying room I.

The transparent sheet material such as cellulose acetate or cellulose nitrate, which is to be employed in producing the base for the translucent screen, is dissolved in suitable solvents,

plasticizers, etc., to render it liquid and sprayable upon-the matrix I. The'liquid cellulose material is sprayed under pressure upon the under surface of the matrix I in the manner shown in Fig. 1 through' a suitable spraying apparatus as shown at 8. This spraying operation may be carried out manually by an operator 9 standing below the matrix I. By directing the nozzle II of the! liquid conveying hose I2 throughout the entire area of matrix I the transparent base I 3 (Fig. 2) may be produced. Preferably the base I 3 is formed by spraying a largenumber of cellulose coats upon the under surface of the matrix I and allowing each coat to dry before the application of the next succeeding coat. pleted flexible transparent sheet thus formedmay be of any desired thickness; however, I prefer slightly in thicknesstowards the edges so as to increase the strength of these portions and/or' make the thickness of the finished screen substantially the same throughout, the coating in the latter case obviously tapering from the center to the edges, of the screen. However, it isto be The comunderstood that the change in thickness of the sheet I3 is not utilized to-afiect the intensity of the transmitted light. For example, in a screen 18 ft. long by 14 ft. wide the base I3 may be .025

inchthick at the center of the screen and gradually increase in thickness to .030 inch near the edges of the screen so as to obtain the additional strength desired near the edge portions. The layer 200i translucent material, however, may be .003 inch thick at the center of. the screen and gradually-taper down to .001 inch at the edge of the screen due to the reduced number of translucent coatings near the edges. With the dimensions given above it will be apparent that the quartz layer 20 is about 5 per cent of the thickness of the body of the screen at the center thereof and about 3 per cent at' the edges thereof. It will be seen therefor that although the total thickness of the screen may be uniform throughout the area of the screen or, in fact, less in the central portion, the degree of translucency may be more at the center than at the edges. After the sheet or base I3 is entirely dry, it is provided with a reinforcing web or strip I4 around its edges. The sheet I3 is then stripped from the matrix I and is suspended in a frame I6 (Fig. 3) as by interlaced elastic cords IT. For relatively large screens, for example 14 ft. by 18 ft., I provide a tension between the screen and its frame of about 30 lbs. per linear foot along the 'edge of the screen to maintain it in a taut position.

The light refracting material employed-to render the sheet I3 translucent is formed of a crystalline material which is ground to an extremely fine mesh. Quartz is preferably employed because of its high light refractive qualities. However, silicon, feldspar and other similar materials may be used although they are not as efficient.

In one method of obtaining a very finely ground quartz material, pieces of crystal quartz weighing material in liquid form in the approximate proportions of five pounds of quartz to 1 gallons of cellulose material dissolved .in a suitable thinner to render it liquid. This mixture is then und between rolls or otherwise for a period of about a week to further decrease the size of the quartz particles and to thoroughly mix these particles with the liquid cellulose material- The resulting quartz particles will be sufliciently fine to pass through a 2000 to 3000 mesh screen. This liquid cellulose material in the approximate proportions of 2 quarts of quartz mixture to 20 gal- I resulting mixture of cellulose and finely ground or fractured .quartz is then further mixed with ions of dissolved cellulose material and is placed in a spraying apparatus similar to that shown at 8 (Fig. 1). The final quartz and cellulose mixture is sprayed under air pressure upon the transparent base or sheet I3 in the form of a fine mist or spray. The thickness of the quartz and cellulose coating upon the transparent base I3 is extremely small, being slightly larger than the thickness of the quartz particles. The density of, distribution of the quartz particles is made greater at the center of the screen as shown at A (Fig. 3) and gradually decreases toward the edges. This is accomplished by applying more coats of the quartz and liquid cellulose mixture at the center than at the edges. For example,

in the coating of the quartz mixture upon a trans parent base of about 16 ft. on each side, about 6 to 8 coats of quartz mixture may first be evenly applied over the entire area of the base, then about 4 or 5 coats may be applied over a smaller area or zone Z1, next about 10 coats maybe applied over a still smaller zone Z2, next about 6 coats over a next smaller zone Z1, and finally about 6 coats over. a still smaller zone Z4. This last zone Z4 may cover an area of about 3 sq. ft.

in the central portion of the screen. These coats, however, gradually blend together so as to form a single coat whose density of quartz distribution gradually increases toward the center of the screen. It is to be understood at this point that the thickness of the layer 2|,of quartz particles remains substantially of the 'same thickness throughout the area of the translucent screen but that the density of distribution or the number of quartz particles per unit of area varies toward the center of the screen. The thickness pf the layer of quartz particles issufilciently small enough so as not to materially reduce the flexibility of the screen.

By rubbing the fingers over the quartz sprayed surface after the same. has-dried',.-the surface feels rough, somewhat like emery paper, although of much finertexture. This indicates that as the solution of liquid celluloseiand minute quartz particles are sprayed upon the base, the liquid cellulose material adhering to the projecting points of the quartz particles tendsto flow toward the cellulose base due to surface tension of the liquid cellulose. That is, the cellulose at the projecting points has an affinity for the cellulosebase and thus tends to, fiow thereto. It drill be seen therefore that the quartz particles become partially imbedded in thecellulose material with projecting light retracting points in direct contact with the air. M

During the operation of spraying the ground quartz upon the transparent cellulose sheet It, a suitable projector is employed to project a beam of light upon the back surface of the screen. The cross sectional area of this beam of light preferably varies in intensity there-across in the same proportions as the beam of light to be ultimately used to project pictures, etc., upon the screen. That is, the beam increases in intensity toward its center. The finely ground quartz is so sprayed upon the sheet I! that the transmitted light from the projected beam of light passing through the sheet and the quartz layer is of substantially constant intensity over the entire area of the screen. The more intense portions of the projected beam of light are refracted through a larger-number of paths than the less intense portions to the intensity of illumination at these Although the above description is directed toward the production of screens for maintaining an even intensity throughout the entire area of the resultant translucent screen II, it is apparent the density of distribution of the quartz particles may be so, varied throughout the area of the screen it as to produce other desired effects. if desired, the quartm may be uniformly 'appliedjgto the surface of the transparent base so that the" density of distribution of the quartz or is the same throughout the entire area of the screen. In this case the "hot spot" maybe overcome by other means such as by placing a light filter in the path of the light beam between-the projector and the screen.

In order to prevent back glare or reflection from the rear of the sheet I! due to the sheen or polished effect of the surface, a coating ll of a stearate compound such as zinc stearate may be provided thereon to produce a slightly dull sur: face. Preferably the stearate compound is mixed in'a liquid cellulose solution and is applied to the untreated surface of sheet "by spraying it in the form of a mist or spray upon this surface.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by letters Patent is: v

e 1. A translucent picture projection screen comprising, a sheet of substantially transparent material free from a lightdiffusing ingredient in comprising, a sheet of substantially transparent material free from a light diffusing ingredient in the body thereof, and an array of finely ground ,quartz particles protruding from the exterior of said sheet and providing a rough surface, the intensity of distribution of said toward the center of said shee V l 3. A projection screen comprising a base of transparent cellulose material free from a light diffusing ingredient, said base being thinnerat the center than at the edges thereof, and a coatingoffinemeshcrystallinematerialembodiedin and protruding from cellulose material on the exterior of said base and providing a rough surface, said coating being thicker'at the center of said screen than at the edges thereof.

4. A translucent projection screen comprising, a base of substantially transparent material free from a light diffusing ingredient in the body particles increasing thereof,anarrayofminutelightrefractingpar-' ticles protruding from said base, and a binder for said particles of. the same material as saidbase.

5. A translucent projection screen comprising a base of cellulose ester material, an may of minute particles protruding from one side of said base for rendering the screen translucent, and a binder of cellulose ester material for binding said particles to said base. i '6. A translucent projection screen according to claim5comprisingacoatingoflightdiiiusing materia1ononesurfaceofsaidscrem.

7. A translucent projection screen comprising a substantially homogeneous transparent body portion of cellulose ester material, a light diffusing surface on one side of said screen, and a light 7 retracting surface on the other side of'said screen,

said light refracting surface comprising multiple coatings of light refracting particles protruding from the surface of said screen, said coatings overlapping a number of times, which decreases as the distance from the center of said screenincreases.

BERNARD I. BODDI.

DISCLAIMER 2,133,076.-Bemard M. Bodde, Hollywood, Calif. TRANSLUCENT PROJECTION SCREEN. Patent dated October 11, 1938. Disclaimer filed March 19, 1943,

by the assignee, Flat Light Screen 00. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 4, 5, and 6, in said specification.

[Oflicial Gazette April 20, 1943.] 

